Rep. Ryan won’t run for Ohio Senate

Rep. Tim Ryan (D-Ohio) announced Friday that he won’t seek the Democratic nomination to challenge Rob Portman (R-Ohio) in the Senate.

 “Today, after much thought and deliberation, I am announcing my decision not to run for the United States Senate in 2016,” Ryan said in a statement. “With my new and growing family, I feel now is the time to be close to home … I look forward to continuing to use my position on the Appropriations Committee and the Budget Committee to increase investments in manufacturing, promote wellness in our health and food policies, and protect American jobs by fighting against unfair trade practices.”

{mosads}Ryan’s name had been making the rounds as a potential Democratic Senate candidate. He made waves last month when he wrote an op-ed explaining that he had recently changed his stance on abortion.

Ryan, who has long been a proponent of limiting access to abortion, said he now believes that the government shouldn’t interfere with the private decisions of women and their families.

Democrat P.G. Sittenfeld, a 30-year-old Cincinnati city councilman and rising star in the party, is so far the only Democrat to announce he’ll seek the party’s nomination for the 2016 Senate race.

However, the field could soon be upended by former Gov. Ted Strickland (D). Strickland has said he’s strongly considering a run and is expected to announce his intentions later this month.

Strickland is by far the most imposing potential challenger on the Democratic bench, and his candidacy would set up a battle of Ohio political heavyweights between him and Portman.

Portman will be a difficult incumbent for Democrats to unseat. He has $5.8 million in his campaign bank account and already has the backing of essentially every elected Republican in the state.

However, a poll from the Democratic Public Policy Polling released this week showed Portman with only a 30 percent approval rating. Thirty-five percent of registered Ohio voters said they disapprove of his four years in office, while 36 percent are not sure.